Those they leave behind
by the frozen cherry
Summary: 'Leadworth  England 2039' he read off, a smile forming on his face. 'Where' asked the confused River, why had the TARDIS brought them here? 'River, she's brought you home'  River/11 Amy/Rory features other characters, slight spoilers for 6x08
1. Part 1

**This is my first Doctor Who fan fic, so I hope it is ok. I've had this idea for a while bt it was really last night's episode that reminded me about it, so I started writing. Anyway please review and let me know what you think!**

River Song stared around the bare hospital room. It was white; boring plain sterile white and it smelled strongly of bleach. She looked wistfully out of the window, the world was a fascinating place, it carried on even when you were trapped in the medical centre of the Stormcage Containment Facility. River returned to staring at the ceiling, she was sure if she looked hard enough she could see a crack which looked like a very angry judoon.

Suddenly she heard a sound outside the door. Cautiously she picked up the one weapon she had in the room-a toothbrush and held it out infront of her. The lock clicked and the handle of the door was pushed down, the door creaked open slowly, to reveal a man standing, sonic screwdriver in hand, behind the door.

'Sweetie?' River asked walking slowly towards the man, her arms out stetched.

'I got your message, River' the Doctor said as he pulled her into a tight hug, his nose burying into her unruly curly hair. 'What have they been doing to you?' he asked as she pulled out of the hug and he noticed she was wearing a hospital gown and looking rather pale and withdrawn.

'It was my fault' she replied sadly.'I was trying to escape; I had managed to get out of my cell by using a key I nicked off the guard who bought me dinner. Anyway as I was sneaking out towards the main hanger, where I hoped to steal a ship, and I was shot by a stun-ray in the back by one of the guards. Obviously they did not know, how badly an electric current affects me, I collapsed, I hit my head, my hearts went into shock and I ended up in here.'

'Where are we?' the Doctor asked, as they sat down on the small white bed in the corner, pulling out a faded blue diary from his jacket pocket 'have we done the pyramids?' he asked.

River shook her head as the Doctor flicked backwards through his diary 'the lost temple? Paris? Ancient Greece?' River continued to shake her head sadly. 'How long have you been locked up in the Stormcage?' he asked finally trying to work out where they were in their respective timelines.

'Six months' she replied

'And this was you're first escape attempt?'

'Second' she mumbled 'I tried to escape when I first got here but that failed, obviously. Please tell me I get better at escaping in the future?' she asked him hopefully.

'Spoilers' the Doctor replied kissing the top of her head, he hated seeing the normally bright and vivacious River Song, looking so dejected and forlorn. 'So where do you want to go for your birthday?' he asked her.

'It's my birthday today?'

'Unless the TARDIS has got it wrong again, I'm sure today is the 24th June, aka your birthday'

'I'd forgotten' River replied as they made their way out of the medical centre and into the TARDIS, which had been parked really inconspicuously against a white wall. River raced inside, relishing the feeling of freedom and headed into the vast TARDIS wardrobe to change out of her disgusting hospital gown. She past various clothes from different eras, the Doctor's ridiculous scarf and hat collection and headed towards the more normal end of the wardrobe. As she looked through the rack of clothes a smell hit her, following this smell she continued making her way through the clothes until she came across a red jumper, scarf and checked shirt. River breathed in the familiar scent, she recognised it but she just could not place where it came from.

'Sweetie whose were these?' she called out as she quickly changed into some other clothes, she was going for practical and comfy rather than glamorous today.

'What?'

'Whose were these?' she repeated curiously holding them up in the air for the Doctor to see

The Doctor became suspiciously silent

'Sweetie?' she asked as she ran down the spiral staircase towards him.

'They belonged to Amelia Pond' the Doctor said finally, turning his back to her and playing with some of the buttons on the TARDIS' control panel. 'She must have left them on here when she left.'

River stared at the back of the Time Lord in shock; these were her mother's clothes; her red haired, passionate Scottish mother's clothes. The smell brought back feelings of being safe. She closed her eyes.

_you will be loved..__.what are you going to be very very brave...Melody Pond is a superhero..._

'River'

'River'

'RIVER!'

River opened her eyes, to find the Doctor standing over her, looking into her eyes.

'You ok? He asked worriedly

'I'm fine sweetie' she replied 'so where are you taking me?' she asked sitting back on one of the chairs.

'Where do you want to go?' he replied

'Oh, how exciting' River exclaimed dancing around the controls 'well there's the Tudors or I've always wanted to meet the last ever Monarch of the Golabis moon and...' she was cut off from her ramble as the TARDIS started to move. 'Where's she taking us?' she cried as she grabbed onto the computer watching the time machine fly through the votex.

'No idea, what do you think you are doing, Sexy?' the confused time lord asked now glaring controls 'It was River's birthday choice today.'

TARDIS suddenly came to a halt, 'where are we sweetie?' River asked, picking herself of the floor, where she had been flung as the TARDIS had landed.

The time lord ran to have a look at the screen. 'Leadworth England 2039' he read off, a smile forming on his face.

'Where?' asked the confused River, why had the TARDIS brought them here?

'River, she's brought you home.'

* * *

><p>Rory Williams stared up at the sky, here in the middle of the countryside, on the outskirts of a tiny village you could see all the stars shining clearly. 'Happy Birthday Melody' he whispered.<p>

'Hey Rory!' came a loud voice of a woman running down the garden. 'Amy wants you inside to do the present box, Melly wants to blow out here candles soon, and I need to set up this telescope' she said, catching her breath.

'You shouldn't be rushing be rushing around like that, Jenny' he replied turning round to speak to his blond haired daughter-in-law, it's not good for the baby'.

'Baby's fine' she replied rubbing her round stomach, 'now you'd better head inside.'

'Right' and with one last look at the stars he started to head in the direction of the house.

As Jenny quickly set up the telescope, she noticed Rory's footsteps falter. She turned around causiously, wondering what had caused him to stop. 'Amy said she wanted to do the present box now Ror-' She stopped, there were two people blocking his way in the darkness. From the light in the house she could just make out Rory glaring into the eyes of a strange man, who had a woman by his side.

'Doctor' Rory said tersely.

'Rory' the man replied.

'Doctor?' Jenny said loudly in disbelief coming into view.

'Not now Jenny' Rory replied, still staring at the man-the doctor-it couldn't be?

'Dad' she whispered quietly

'Jenny?' he asked moving his gaze from Rory on her 'Jenny is that you?'

Jenny nodded

River stared curiously at this Jenny, who was she, why was she making the Doctor tear up?'

Rory cleared his throat. 'What are you doing here?' he asked the Doctor

'The Tardis brought us here' River answered making her presence known. Rory stared at her in disbelief

'River'

'Dad'

Rory looked slightly more shocked. River-Melody had never really called his Dad before, unless you counted her teasing in Hitler's office.

'Ok I'm confused' Jenny interjected crossly. 'Why is she calling you Dad?' she asked turning to Rory 'Who is she?' she asked pointing at River 'and why the Doctor trying to sneak away?' she said, pointing at the time lord who was sneaking back towards the TARDIS. 'I shouldn't be here' he whispered.

At that very moment a young girl came flying out of the house and into the garden, grabbing all the adult's attention. 'Grandpa' she shouted 'Nana says that if you don't come in right now and do the present box with her, you won't get any of my wonderful spaceship shaped cake!'

'I'm coming Melly! Tell your Nana we've got visitors!' Rory shouted back. 'Now Jenny, you know what the present box means to Amy, can you try and explain everything to the Doctor?' he asked earnestly, willing her to understand what was happening

Jenny, slightly bewildered, nodded silently, gesturing for the two time travellers to walk with her up the garden, away from the house.

Rory ran back towards the house, through the open back door and stopped in the warm kitchen, where his lovely wife was finishing icing their rocket shaped granddaughter's cake.

'Mel said we had visitors?' Amy asked putting the five candles on top of the cake. 'Who are they?'

'It's the Doctor' he replied nervously, coming up behind her and giving her a hug for he knew how much the Doctor's absence had hurt her.

'Why now? After all this time?' She asked as she carried the cake towards the table.

'Apparently the TARDIS brought them here' Rory replied

'Hang on a sec, you said visitors? Who else did he bring?' Amy asked placing the cake on the table

'River'

Amy gasped and looked at her husband 'River' she repeated weakly sitting down, thinking about her lost daughter and one time best friend.

Rory kissed the top of her head. 'It going to be alright' he told her.

At that very moment Melly came rushing into the kitchen, her curly red hair flying out behind her. 'Aunty Jenny's coming back with those people' she told her grandparents. 'Who are they?' the five year old asked curiously.

'Some old friends of ours, Mel' Amy said giving her a hug, why don't we go and meet them?'

Rory sighed, standing up to follow his wife, this could be intresting...


	2. Part 2

**I was really pleased at the number of people reading this story and a big thank you to everyone who reviewed, now on to the next chapter...**

'So what was that all about?' The Doctor asked Jenny as she marched them up the garden, towards the half put up telescope, 'and who was that little girl?'

'That was Melly, my niece; she lives with Amy and Rory. Rory asked me to bring you out here away from the house, so he has time to tell Amy about your arrival.'

'He mentioned a present box?' River asked softly, staring up at the sky.

'I'm not really sure what it is, to be honest' Jenny replied, gesturing for them to sit down on the chairs placed near the telescope. 'For as long as David can remember, Amy and Rory always on the 24th June, would sneak away for just a moment to do '_the present box'_. I asked my mum about it once, just after I got married, she's known Amy and Rory for years, apparently Amy lost a baby before she had her other children, or something like that, so it's how they remember.' Jenny looked down a stroked her own round stomach as River wiped away a tear.

'You said you asked your Mum?' the Doctor asked, slightly puzzled.

'I came to earth by falling through the rift' Jenny replied starting her story.

'The one in Cardiff?' the Doctor interrupted.

'Yes' Jenny said, before continuing 'however not only was I transported there, the wormhole caused me to return to my original age. I came out of the wormhole at the age of six years old. I still had all my memories, abilities and my two hearts. I was so scared, as a six year old you can't do much so I did what my survival instincts wanted me to do; I found a safe spot to curl up and eventually I went to sleep'

'Did someone find you?' the time lord asked worriedly

'I woke up in the Hub' she replied smiling at the memory.

'Jack's Hub?'

'Yep, I woke up with Jack standing over me asking what part of the universe I had come from. At that moment Martha and Mickey Smith, came through the doors, apparently I had been muttering Martha and Donna in my sleep. She recognised who I was and they took me home with them. They've been my parents ever since' Jenny smiled brightly. 'For the first time in my really complicated and slightly weird life I had a family: a Mum and Dad and an older brother, James and a younger sister, Maddie.'

'You're happy then?' the Doctor asked

'Very' his daughter replied, playing with her wedding ring.

'Does the baby have two hearts?' River asked curiously.

'No, thank goodness!' she laughed 'I can't imagine trying to explain to her –it's a girl- why she has two hearts! Well darling I'm sort of a timelord, but not really and I come from a distant world and... I'm glad I don't have to have that conversation.'

'Your husband knows?' River asked

'Of course David knows! We've known each other for years. We met when Jack organised a 'children of time get to get together' in Cardiff. We went, Gwen and her family came, Sarah-Jane and her family made it and so did the Williams. Josie, David's older sister went off to play with James and Gwen's youngest, Bethan, leaving me to play with David, running up and down the beach pretending to fight evil aliens! We were both raised with stories about space and time and having adventures. That's why I studied astro-physics and university and why David is currently doing doctors without borders.'

'And Melly is Josie's child, is she here tonight as well?' River asked, eager to hear more about her family, the one she had left behind.

'Josie was tragically killed on the way to work, in January' Jenny replied, looking sombre. 'She had just dropped Melly off at school and was heading to the local secondary school, where she worked as a geography teacher, when she was hit. Melly was distraught, but is slowly becoming her normal bubbly loud self again. She loves the stars, so we all clubbed together to buy her a telescope for her birthday. So who are you?' she asked turning to River'

'um...' River normally so confident, was stuck for words. She could hardly go and introduce herself as Amy and Rory's long lost daughter, nor could she really describe her weird back to front relationship with the Doctor.

'She's an old friend of Amy and Rory' the Doctor replied, noticing his companion's silence 'she's travelling with me at the moment, when the TARDIS brought us here.'

'But she called Rory dad?'

'Ah...um...well...'

'Hey insn't that Melly, waving to us from the window?' River asked, drawing the attention away from herself.

'Yes' Jenny replied looking towards the silhouette of a little girl. 'It must be safe to go in now, I think Amy must have calmed down now, I'm she will want to see you again.'

'No I wouldn't want to spoil a birthday party, with my unwanted presence' the Doctor replied, playing nervously with his bow tie.

'Oh come on Dad!' Jenny insisted, pulling at his sleave. 'They have not seen you in 27 years!'

'Jenny...please' the Doctor pleaded, finding himself being pulled in the direction of the house.

'Oi Doctor! Where do you think you are going?' came angry voice in a scottish accent from house. The Doctor looked up to find Amelia Pond, Amy Williams, leaning against the door frame, her arms folded crossly. 'You are not sneaking off again' she said.

The Doctor gulped at the glare she was giving him.

'Aunty Jenny can you make them hurry up? I want to blow out my candles and have my cake now!' Melly demanded appearing from behind her grandmother.

River looked at Amy, her mother nervously, it had been many years since she had last seen her. She looked as if she had grown old gracefully. There were some wrinkles marking her face and her bright red hair had some white hairs, but otherwise she looked exactly the same.

As they approched the back door, Amy noticed River hiding behind the Doctor. Her heart ached, it had been 27 years since she had last seen her daughter and she looked nearly exactly the same, except she seemed to have lost the air of confidence she used to have, it seemed as if she was nervous. Amy gave River a small reassuring smile, it was easier now she looked older than River, before ushering them all into the warm kitchen, where they were greeted by a very excited birthday girl and a Rory.


	3. Part 3

**And now for the last part, I hope you like it! Please review with your thoughts :)**

They finished the rocket shaped cake in silence. Melly was sitting oblivious to the tension filling the room, licking the last remaining bits of icing from her small sticky fingers. 'Can I go and stargaze now?' she asked her grandmother, her legs swinging eagerly from side to side under the table.

'Why don't you clean up and put on a coat?' Amy suggested to her granddaughter 'you seem to have icing all round your mouth.'

'But Nana, I want to go now!'

'Melanie, please' Amy asked. Melly jumped off her chair in defeat, stomping up the stairs very loudly.

'She's just like Josie was when she was that age' Rory commented.

'Ok explain' Jenny said suddenly, going straight to the point 'Who is she?' she asked pointing at River who was sitting unusually quietly in the corner.

'My name is River Song' she replied

'And you travel with the Doctor?'

'From time to time' River answered evasively.

'Where are you?' Rory asked, trying to figure out where River was in her timeline.

'um...I've just been in the Stormcage for six months' she replied.

'So this is early for you?' Amy asked.

River nodded her head nervously.

'I'm still really confused!' Jenny said.

The Doctor looked down at the cup of tea in his hands, trying to figure out how to tell Jenny about River. Amy and Rory looked at each other, trying to work out whether River wanted to be known as their daughter and River took a deep breath.

'When I was born, my mother named me Melody Pond' she began quietly. 'She told be stories about a centurion, tried to keep me safe throughout all the fighting and told me to very brave.'

'You're?' Jenny looked at River in disbelief before turning to look at Amy and Rory.

'I was taken by an organisation set on destroying the Doctor' River continued, her eyes closed, remembering those first painful years. Amy reached across the table to take River's hands in hers and gave them a small comforting squeeze.

'But the Doct-' Jenny's next question was cut off by an impatient five year old standing at the door.

'Can Aunt Jenny take me stargazing now?' Melly asked impatiently, her arms folded crossly. 'You promised me you would take me stargazing with my new telescope for my birthday!'

Jenny knew she had to let this conversation go for now, she knew she could always ask one of her parents-in-law about it later. 'Coming Melly! she replied, taking on last sip from her now cold cup of tea and standing up slowly.'

'Why doesn't the Doctor go with you too?' Amy suggested, looking at him trying to convay that she wanted to spend some time with her long lost daughter.

'The Doctor? What sort of name is that' the five year old asked incredulously. 'What do you know about the stars, doctors just stick horrible needles in people and play with blood.'

'I'm not a normal Doctor' he replied standing up and approaching the small girl. 'I'm the Doctor' he announced adjusting his bowtie'

'And you know all about stars and planets?'

'Yes, yes, I know about those.'

'And the moon, because I want to be the first woman on the moon when I am older?'

'Oh, I know lots about the moon' he replied, winking at Amy and Rory before taking Melly's hand and letting her lead him towards the telescope at the back of the garden.

'Come with me' Amy said finally, breaking the tension that had once again filled the small kitchen. 'I've got something to show you'

Rive followed Amy and Rory out of the warm kitchen and up the stairs, she passed photos of Amy and Rory, Amy with a little boy and a girl, Rory with the two children who seemed to get older the further they progressed up the stairs. River found herself in her parent's room, staring intently at the picture on the wall. It was a picture of Amy, Rory and Mels taken on the beach, where Rory's mum had taken them to celebrate the end of primary school. River smiled at that day all those years ago. They had been bundled into the car and driven all the way to Bournemouth, where they had spent the day making a TARDIS shaped sand sculpture.

Rory caught River looking at the picture wistfully, 'we had to have a picture of you somewhere' he commented.

'You're bedroom?'

'The only place the children ever really entered, we knew they would ask awkward questions about who you were.'

'Ah ha! Got it!' Amy announced pulling a box out from within the depths of her wardrobe before placing it carefully on the bed.

River peered over at it curiously as Rory went over to give his wife a hug.

'It's your present box' Amy explained a tear falling down your face. 'It started after Josie was born, when it finally had sunk in that we would never get to raise you probably. We kept on think of your first birthday or Christmas or day at school so we made this box to give to you if we ever saw you again, just so you knew how much we missed you.'

River stared at the lid; it was painted a pale pink and decorated with gold and silver stars. She slowly fingered her name, her real name, written in dark TARDIS blue swirly script on the top. Melody Pond-Williams.

'Williams?'

'Ever since I left the TARDIS all those years ago, I've never been a Pond' Amy remarked 'It brought back to many memories. Amy Pond was reckless and naive, Amelia Williams is a wife, mother and slightly more responsible!' she added with a laugh. 'Well open it up!'

River slowly opened the lid. The box was filled with loads of packages and parcels, covered with different wrapping papers. 'What's this?' River asked holding up a scrap of embroidered material.

'Thats a prayer leaf, embroidered with your name' Amy replied. 'It was made for my by an extremely brave young soldier on Deamons Run. It's how you got your name.' River looked at Amy curiously.

'It's written in the language of the gamma forests' Rory explained 'and the only water in the forest is the river.

'Anyway maybe you would like to open your present this year?' Amy asked holding out a small package 'with your arrival, we never managed to put it in the box. Happy Birthday Melody' she whispered handing it out into River's outstretched hands.

'It's somethings to help you escape from the stormcage easily' Rory remarked smiling.

River tore open the present slowly, savouring what it felt like to open the first birthday present that she had been given from her parents. 'A Votex manipulator!' she said pulling it free from the wrapping 'and hallucinogenic lipstick!' Where did you find these?' she asked.

'Ah spoilers' Amy said with a smile, giving River a hug 'I think you'll find them very useful'

Suddenly they heard the sound of people coming up the stairs.

'She fell asleep' the Doctor commented, holding the small figuire of Melanie Williams in his arms. Rory showed him into her bedroom, where she was placed gently on the bed.

* * *

><p>'You're ok?' The Doctor asked River as they made their way back to the TARDIS after saying their goodbyes to Jenny, Amy and Rory.<p>

'I'm fine sweetie' she replied clutching the box of presents to her chest, her most recent present hidden safely in her coat pocket. 'I know I'll see them all again soon.'


End file.
